Morgoth
Morgoth, once named Melkor, is the highest ranking Devil of the Dark Forces in the Tolkien-verse, and master and predecessor of Sauron, in-turn eponymous and the true devil of the Tolkien-verse. History and Description Melkor was in the beginning an Ainu created by Eru in the Timeless Halls. He was brother to Manwe, future ruler of Arda. Of all the Ainur, Melkor was gifted with the greatest power and knowledge and had a share in all of the gifts given to his fellow Ainur by Eru. Desiring to create greate things of his own and knowing of but not understanding the Flame imperishable, Melkor often went forth into the Great Void outside of the Timeless Halls in search of the flame. His quest was vain for he found not the Flame imperishable for it lies with Eru alone. Afterwards, Melkor grew ever more impatient of the unclear designs of Eru, and was often alone and apart from his fellow Ainur. It was during this lonesome period that Melkor began to have ideas and designs of his own that were not in accordance with his fellow Ainur. When the Ainur sung the Great Music before Eru, Melkor attempted to take it over and wove into his own chords of vanity. This brought great discord to the once harmonious Music and each time Eru sounded the beginning of a new theme, Melkor would once again interfere with it. Soon the Music was marred and there was no longer any unity or harmony, but a sea of chaos, turbulence, and confusion before the throne of Eru. Then Eru arose with great might and the Music ceased. He spoke to Melkor saying that although he is mightiest amongst the Ainur, he could not create or play a theme, which does not first come from Eru, nor can the Music be altered. Full of shame Melkor secretly harbored great anger and began his rebellion. During the creation and shaping of Arda, Melkor thwarted the efforts of the other Valar, marring the world, and while the Valar started to build their kingdom of Almaren Melkor corrupted many of the Ainur first, he dwelt in The Void outside Ea at the beginning of the world, but later built a new underground fortress in the north of Middle-earth. Naming it Utumno he built it behind the iron Mountains ( Ered Engrin ) in the far north of Beleriand. From Utumno Morgoth waged five massive wars against the Valar, flattened Almaren, and destroyed the Great Lamps. It is likely that in this time Melkor delved his second, lesser fortress of Angband in the West, as a defensefrom the other Valar should they attack. Angband was delved into the Iron Mountains, and was given to Sauron to command. While the Valar were unsure where the Children of Iluvatar would awake, they were reluctant to wage war against Melkor, fearing the clash of powers might result in massive collateral damage. It is in this time that Melkor discovered the Elves first, captured many of them, and transformed them by torture and other foul craft into Orc. When it was discovered by the Vala Orome where the elves were, the Valar took immediate action against Melkor. Both Angband and Utumno were razed, and Melkor brought back in chains. However, many of Melkor's servants (including Sauron and the Balrogs) were not found, since in their haste the Valar did not wholly destroy Angband. During the War of Powers, Melkor had been captured and chained, and for some years Middle-earth was allowed to prosper. At last Melkor was brought before the Valar to be judged. To the Valar he seemed to have changed and mellowed such that Manwe, Lord of the Valar, ordered his chains removed. Nevertheless, they were all deceived, and Melkor continued to wage war against them, destroying the Trees of the Valar with his ally Ungoliant (the first Giant Spider of Middle-earth) and stealing the gemstones known as the Silmarils. After this point, Fëanor titled him Morgoth meaning Dark Enemy in Sindarin. The name Melkor was never spoken again. Occasionally people referred to him as Belegurth, The Great Death, a perversion of Belegur, the Sindarin form of Melkor. Upon fleeing back to Middle-earth, he rebuilt Angband as his center of operations, and reared the tallest mountains to have ever been in Middle-earth, the Thangorodrim, over its gate. Thangorodrim was adorned with walls and gates, and functioned as a guardian fortress to Angband proper, which was underground. Morgoth and Sauron were then came a crossed by The Emperor of the Night, The Nightmare King and a few Dark Forces and they were offered to become part of the Dark Forces, and Morgoth was made a general of the Dark Forces. Category:Villains Category:Gods Category:Devils Category:Non-Disney Characters Category:The Dark Forces